Why your website must be readable for AI as well

You know how it goes: someone looks for a plumber, a lawyer, or a webshop and types that into Google. But increasingly, someone asks that question to ChatGPT, Perplexity, or the search function in a browser that uses AI. Those assistants don't simply give ten blue links; they give an answer. And to provide that answer, they have to get their information from somewhere. That's the point where it becomes interesting for you. An AI assistant reads your website differently than a person does. Where you might have a nice, atmospheric text with lots of feeling and few facts, an AI looks for clear answers. What exactly do you do. In which locations do you work. What does a service cost roughly. How can someone get in touch. If that information isn't clearly stated anywhere on your site, an AI assistant simply has nothing to work with. What does this mean in practice It doesn't mean you have to cram your website with keywords or pull off weird tricks. It mainly means that clear, factual information works better than vague marketing language. A sentence like we provide high-quality bespoke solutions tells an AI assistant nothing. A sentence like we repair central heating boilers in Utrecht and surrounding area, usually within 24 hours, tells it quite a lot. The same applies to your services or products. If you have a page with only a beautiful photo and the text contact us for more information, an AI assistant has nothing to quote. If it clearly states what the service involves, who it's intended for, and what it costs roughly, then that information can be included in a response to someone looking for it. What you can do today You don't have to overhaul your entire website. Just take a critical look at your main pages, such as the homepage and your services or product pages. Is it stated there in plain language what you do, who you do it for, and where. Avoid vague phrases and write as you would explain it to a customer on the phone. It also helps to write frequently asked questions literally as a question and answer. Not because it's a trick, but because it's simply the way people ask their questions to an AI assistant and the way that assistant looks for answers. Finally: make sure your contact details, opening hours, and service area are clearly and consistently stated somewhere on the site. Not hidden in a PDF or only on a contact form, but simply readable as text. That's information both a visitor and an AI assistant need, and it costs you little effort to have it in order. It's not about writing for AI instead of for people. It's about the fact that clear, factual language happens to be understood equally well by both.